SOUNDWALK

Ellen Reid

Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK is a free, GPS-enabled work of public art that uses music to illuminate the natural environment. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and sound artist Ellen Reid, the experience is guided by the listener: the path you choose dictates the music you hear, and no two visits will be exactly the same. As you walk, various musical “cells,” as Ms. Reid calls them, are triggered by your location. So each walk results in a different piece. The music is designed to continually evolve as the you progress through the park in real time as opposed to a set playlist. Individual segments last 2 to 16 minutes, but with the whole experience is built on what Reid calls “orbiting soundscapes” and “cascading cycles,” there are almost endless possible variations. The music shifts to reflect changes in your location, the landscape, and famous landmarks and structures. In wooded areas, music is dense and rhythmic, in fields, the music is spacious, custom-tailored to the landscape of your park or public space. Localized sound elements including recorded works by local orchestras, ensembles, choirs, and spoken word can be incorporated into each new version. Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK was co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, Mann Center for thePerforming Arts in association with The Fairmount Park Conservancy, and the Britt Festival Orchestra.

"'Soundwalk' doesn’t just smudge the fine lines between individual and community, public and private. It turns the park into a hall and your map into a score. Walkers and joggers become composers and conductors, just by following their own paths. In the best, most multidimensional sense of the word, it’s an experience." - THE WASHINGTON POST

Team

Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Virginia Arts Festival, New York Philharmonic, Wolftrap, BRITT Festival

Creator + Composer + Sound Design Ellen Reid

GPS Mapping + App Design Echoes-Labs
Founder Josh Kopecek
echoes.xyz/echoes-labs

Audio Engineer Daniel Neumann
Asst. Sound Designer Dante Green
Curatorial Advisor Rebecca Jacobs
Art Design Playtime Studios

Performed By

Soundwalk

Joshua Rubin, Clarinet

Ensemble

Rachel Drehmann, Horn
Riley Mulherkar, Trumpet
Sidney Hopson, Percussion
Kyle Poole, Drums
Ashley Jackson, Harp
Ellen Reid, Synthesizer
Eliza Bagg, Voice
Mona Tian, Violin
Nadia Sirota, Viola
Gabriel Cabezas, Cello

Tour Dates

Central Park, NY, 2020

Selected Press Mentions

Format

Tech Rider

Project Dossier